So when the Gold Coast hosts the event in 2018 - what can we learn from Brisbane's experience?

Former Brisbane Lord Mayor, SallyAnne Atkinson, was a council alderman at the time of the games.

Ms Atkinson says the council was very much involved in the organising of the games, and the event was "wonderful for Brisbane."

"I think they do all sorts of things for a city and I know they are going to do some very spectacular things for the Gold Coast," she says.

"One of the things I've noticed in recent years is that the Gold Coast, although it's the 'Gold Coast City' is still very much a series of townships or neighbourhoods, feeling quite separate one from the other. I think one of the things the Commonwealth Games will do is bring all those communities together with a really strong feeling of being part of 'the Gold Coast'."

Then there are the economic factors.

With so much money spent on the games, does it pay off?

Ms Atkinson says it's hard to quantify.

"It's hard to work it out exactly because, for example, the money that was spent on Brisbane for the Commonwealth Games - a lot of it was commonwealth and state money.

"We didn't have the facilities or stadiums before the games - so I think it's hard to say how much money is spent on the games itself or on the city that will be a legacy afterwards."

Her advice for Gold Coast City Council is to be cost effective.

"I think you have to hold the line and say 'we know what's necessary, we're going to really make the games spectacular' but not go overboard with splashy spending."

Listen to the audio to hear excerpts from the opening ceremony of the Brisbane games, as well as SallyAnne Atkinson's full interview with ABC Gold Coast's Tony Johnston.